The Special Education Division of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) provides leadership to ensure a high-quality education for Minnesota's children and youth with disabilities. Its specialists offer guidance, training and share best practices in a variety of areas including technology, behavioral interventions, equity and related services, as well as the categorical disabilities defined in law and rule.

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• Training Requirements for Seclusion and Restraint (draft version) 
  These materials are provided to assist districts in developing their Restrictive Procedures Plan to meet requirements outlined in Minnesota Statutes section 125A.0942, Subd. 1. (Effective August 1, 2011.) The DRAFT materials do NOT represent a comprehensive list; as new information is provided to the Minnesota Department of Education, they will be revised at regular intervals.
• Special Education Division Foundation Statements 
  Mission, vision, guiding principles and values

Accessible Instructional Materials

School districts are responsible to provide learning materials that are accessible to all students with print disabilities. Students who struggle to read because of physical, sensory, cognitive, or learning differences may require alternative or specialized formats. Core curriculum material and textbooks may need to be converted to specialized formats called accessible instructional materials (AIM). These specialized formats, including Braille, large print, audio and digital text, enable students with print disabilities to gain the information they need to complete tasks, master IEP or Section 504 goals, and reach curricular standards. Specialized formats should also be provided to students who are unable to gain information from traditional print materials. Contact Joan Breslin-Larson at 651-582-1599.

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• Suggested Purchase Order/Contract Language 
  For directing publishers to submit a National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) fileset on textbook orders.
• Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Coordination with the National Instructional Materials Center (NIMAC) 
  Outlines steps in providing access to curriculum for students and related resources
• Who Qualifies for the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) 
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provisions on qualifying for assistance from the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC)
• Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) What districts can do 
  Guidelines for schools and districts to ensure that identified students have timely access to accessible instructional materials
• Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Minnesota Overview 
  Questions and answers about AIM services for schools and districts
• Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Guidance 2009-2010 
  Guidance on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements regarding accessible instructional materials (AIM), the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS), the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), Authorized Users (AUs) and Accessible Media Producers (AMPs) for Minnesota schools and districts

Assistive Technology

Educators must consider assistive technology for all children with an IEP (34 C.F.R Section 300.324.2.(v)) and provide assistive technology for students who require it (34 C.F.R. Section 300.6 (b)). MDE supports a variety of Assistive Technology (AT) initiatives designed to help ensure students with disabilities have access to appropriate assistive technology and receive a free, appropriate public education.

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• More Information on Assistive Technology 
  
• Assistive Technology Listserv 
  A discussion network open to anyone with access to e-mail and an interest in assistive technology.
• Minnesota Assistive Technology Manual 
  A source for legal statutes and best practices for consideration and evaluation of assistive technology in special education.

Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services (ADSIS)

Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services (ADSIS) is an annual application process for districts and charter schools to apply for state special education aid. The purpose of ADSIS is to provide instruction to assist students who need additional academic or behavioral support to succeed in the general education environment. The goal is to reduce the number of referrals to special education by providing supports early to struggling students. Districts are expected to align the ADSIS program within their existing continuum of supports and collect data as specified in the application and submit evaluation information to MDE each year to determine program impact.

Minnesota Statutes, section 125A.50, details the specific requirements and funding authority for ADSIS. Application materials are available on the MDE website around January first each year. Notice of the application period is sent out via superintendent mailing. Contact Cindy Shevlin-Woodcock at 651-582-8656.

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• Geographic Distribution of Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services (ADSIS) Programs 
  2011-2012 map
• Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Programs, 2011-2012 
  Minnesota school districts and charter schools selected for prevention programming for the 2011-2012 school year

Behavior Assessment and Intervention

Alternatives-to-Suspension Grant Project. Grant funds have been awarded for the purpose of building the capacity of schools to develop alternatives-to-suspension and implement evidence-based interventions that reduce out-of-school suspensions as a response to disciplinary incidents. Contact Cindy Shevlin-Woodcock at 651-582-8656.

Comprehensive behavior assessment and student-specific positive behavior interventions are critical for providing appropriate specialized services for students with disabilities and challenging behaviors. Because each student has unique educational needs related to their disability, educators, administrators and other interested individuals need knowledge about quality services for individualized assessment and intervention to help ensure all children get needed support for healthy development and lifelong learning. Contact Eric Kloos at 651-582-8268.

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• Alternatives-to-Suspension Grant Report 
  Year 1 Case Study: Impact of grants designed to assist schools develop programs and implement scientific research-based interventions that reduce the need for suspension.
• Alternative-to-Suspension Grant Progress Report: Year 2 
  Grants were awarded to five school districts to develop alternatives-to-suspension programs and implement interventions that reduce the need for suspension as a response to disciplinary incidents. The second year of the grant focused on sustainability of effective practices and the development of systematic data collection protocols.
• Alternatives-to-Suspension Fact Sheet: Outcomes of Out-of-School Suspension 
  Evidence from many studies suggests that out-of-school suspension is not effective in deterring behavior problems, and instead, is linked to harmful effects on schools and youth.
• Alternatives-to-Suspension Fact Sheet: Effective Classroom Management Practices 
  Effective classroom management strategies help to prevent student misbehavior and missed instructional time due to disciplinary practices such as out-of-school suspensions and have an impact on instruction and student achievement.
• Alternatives-to-Suspension Fact Sheet: Multi-Tiered Behavior Support Systems 
  In order to reduce the use of suspension, educators must develop evidence-based practices to actively teach and reinforce positive student behavior and to address the underlying reasons for misbehavior.
• Behavior Intervention Manual 
  Best practice materials and resources on the use of behavioral interventions with all students. Published in 1996.
• Part 1: Addressing Challenging Student Behavior 
  Functional Behavior Assessment- June 2005
• Part 2: Addressing Challenging Student Behavior 
  Designing Positive Behavior Support Plans- June 2005
• Functional Behavior Assessment Observation Forms 
  A-B-C Directions and Recording, Duration Recording, Frequency Recording and Interval Recording.

Disproportionality Resources

American Indian and African American students are disproportionately represented in special education programs in Minnesota. The manual in this section provides data and analysis of the causes of disproportional representation, its positive and negative impacts and legal requirements of school districts for reducing bias in assessment practices. The Reducing Bias in Special Education manual is available below. Contact Elizabeth Watkins at 651-582-8678.

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• Additional Questions Regarding District Demographic Data 
  
• Methodology for Calculating Disproportionate Representation 
  Description of the process to determine whether districts meet the data threshold for disproportionate representation.
• Supplemental Questions for District Review 
  To be used in conjunction with the required areas of the review of policies, procedures and practices related to disproportionate representation.
• Reducing Bias 
  The manual in this section provides analysis of the causes of disproportional representation, its positive and negative impacts and legal requirements of school districts and methods for reducing bias in special education assessment practices.

English Learner Disability Resources

The manual in this section provides assessment and eligibility determination guidelines to special education professionals. These guidelines can be used where traditional evaluation procedures may not be appropriate. The guidelines reflect a broad view of connections between ELL programs and special education. The manual’s conclusions are based on specific aspects of diversity such as race, culture, the acculturation process, high mobility among families and poverty rates.

For an online database of interpreters and translators including names and contact information, languages spoken and written, education, specific training in interpretation and/or translation and previous experience as an interpreter or translator, see related resources. For a copy of the ELL Companion to Reducing Bias in Special Education Evaluation manual, contact Elizabeth Watkins at 651-582-8678.

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• Holding Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meetings with English Language Learner (ELL) Families and Interpreters 
  
• English-Somali Special Education Glossary 
  A Somali-language glossary of special education terminology.
• Alternate Instructions for Spanish language and speech language tests 
  CELF-3, PLS4, EOWPVT, and ROWPVT
• English-Hmong Dictionary of Special Education 
  A glossary of special education terms in the Hmong language

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

Minnesota School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) is a state-initiated project that provides districts and individual schools throughout Minnesota with the necessary training and technical support to promote improvement in student behavior across the entire school, especially for students with challenging social behaviors. It establishes clearly defined outcomes that relate to students’ academic and social behavior, systems that support staff efforts, practices that support student success, and data to guide decision-making.

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• More Information on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports 
  
• Minnesota School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (MN-PBIS) Application for 2012 
  

Related Services

Related Services are defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) as “transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.” MDE provides information and resources to assist related service personnel to meet the needs of students receiving special education services. Contact Mary Hunt at 651-582-8676.

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• More Information on Related Services 
  Examples, links and information about additional resources.